This invention relates to a side handling attachment for use on a fork lift truck, and more particularly, to such a side handling attachment which is capable of picking up and/or discharging a load laterally disposed on either side of the truck.
It is a well-known practice in the handling of material to utilize industrial fork lift trucks to move materials and other loads between storage areas or between a storage area and a work area. Such a truck generally includes lift forks mounted for vertical movement on the forward portion of the truck to support and carry the loads. In the case of certain material storage, it has been found highly desirable to provide tiered storage racks, so that each rack is fully accessible without moving any other rack. Narrow aisles are generally provided between such storage racks, and it will be seen that it is desirable to hold the widths of such aisles to a minimum so as to utilize maximum storage space in the storage building. Such narrow aisles make it difficult, if not impossible, for conventional lift trucks to turn so as to face a material-supporting rack.
Retrieval mechanisms which are specifically designed for use with a vehicle in the above-stated environment are generally quite complicated and expensive, and still often require that the aisle be wider than would be necessary for passage of the fork lift truck itself therethrough. In general, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,318 to Sylvester et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,686 to Sylvester et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,205 to Coash et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,208 to Barrett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,436 to Skutle et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,465 to Romine et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,025 to Messner, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,183 to Shaffer, this last patent assinged to the assignee of this invention. Each of these patents disclose apparatus including load bearing means which may be shifted laterally of the main frame thereof. However, none of these patents disclose a load handling apparatus wherein bar means are movable to an outward position relative to base means, with the actual load engaging means remaining in an inward position relative to the base means, with subsequent movement of the load engaging means to an outward position thereof with the bar means still in its outward position.